$25 - $40 / night

Camper submitted image from Elk Creek Campground - 1

Camper submitted image from Elk Creek Campground - 2

Nature

Camper submitted image from Elk Creek Campground - 3

Signs & Maps

Camper submitted image from Elk Creek Campground - 4

Water

Camper submitted image from Elk Creek Campground - 5

Facilities

Established Camping

Elk Creek Campground

8 Reviews

About

State Park

Tillamook State Forest

Overview

The Portage Bay Cabin is located on the eastern shore of Portage Bay on Kupreanof Island, due east of Stop Island. It provides access to scenic views as well as a variety of recreational opportunities. Visitors to the area enjoy fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing. It is accessible by boat or float plane only. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Recreation

There is excellent halibut fishing in the mouth of Portage Bay. Coho, pink salmon, steelhead and trout fishing are available in the nearby Portage Creek. Hunting for black bears, waterfowl and grouse is also available as per state or federal hunting regulations; click here for more information from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The primitive Portage Mountain Loop Trail connects the cabin with Petersburg Lake Cabin and Salt Chuck East Cabin through Goose Cove, south of the bay. The trail is especially primitive over to Petersburg Lake and is seldom used due to the level of difficulty. Sections of the trail are flooded by beaver ponds.

Facilities

Natural Features

The cabin was originally built as an administrative site for Forest Service timber layout crews, but was converted to a recreation cabin in 1987. It sits back from the rocky eastern shore of Portage Bay in southeastern Alaska. The surrounding terrain is hilly along the east and flat and rolling south and west of the bay. Portage Mountain rises 3,577 feet in the background.

Fee Info

Reservations can be made the day of arrival or up to 180 days in advance and are restricted to a maximum stay of 7 consecutive nights per party for any one reservation between May 1 and September 30, and 10 consecutive days from Oct. 1 through April 30. There are no discounts for Alaska cabin rentals with Golden Age and Golden Passports.

Only one change per reservation for all Alaska cabins is allowed. Change is defined as a modification to the start or end date of the reservation; after one change has been made, if additional changes are desired, the customer must cancel the current reservation and re-book the new dates.

Suggest an Edit

Location

Elk Creek Campground is located in Alaska

Directions

From Petersburg the journey is 15 miles by float plane or 25 miles by boat. Refer to USGS topographic map Petersburg D4. Petersburg D3. Sumdum A4 may also be helpful. Maps are available online or by calling the Petersburg Ranger District at (907) 772-3871. Float plane or boat access can only occur at certain stages of the tide. Please check current conditions prior to your trip. Click here for more information.

Address

PO BOX 1328
Petersburg, AK 99833

Coordinates

56.9527778 N
133.2769444 W

Open in Google Maps

Is Elk Creek Campground sold out?

Quickly grab cancellations!

Learn More

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site
Walk-In
Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

WiFi
Unknown
Verizon
Unknown
AT&T
Unknown
T-Mobile
Unknown

Site Types

Tent Sites
Group
Cabins

Features

For Campers

Drinking Water
Toilets
Alcohol

SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE

$25 - $40

/ night

First Come - First Served

Is Elk Creek Campground sold out?

Quickly grab cancellations!

Learn More

Contact

General Info

Thomas H.

Scout

Reviewed Oct. 28, 2018

Good

Primitive, but adequate.

Brian C.

Legend

Reviewed Jun. 28, 2018

Beautiful Affordable Site on River

Affordable national forest camp site. Not too many actual camp sites, but very quiet. Wonderful location next to the confluence of Elk Creek and the Wilson River. Vault toilets. Pump water. Walk-in/tents only, so no RVs, but still a nice location.

A 7-minute drive from the awesome Tillamook Forestr Center, which has really cool exhibits on the area.

Month of VisitJune

(10) View All

Jessica K.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 14, 2018

Spots right on the water!

We came to the Elk Creek Campground towards the end of the general camping season here in Oregon. Unfortunately, much of the campground was already closed due to state budget cuts. But, we found a spot that was still open and right on the river. We couldn't have asked for a better location.

The river was an excellent location to play in and in some spots we were able to swim.

Because the location was primarily closed, it was quiet and private. I think even during the high season, most of the spots looked relatively secluded from their neighbors.

Month of VisitOctober

Allen S.

Guide

Reviewed May. 30, 2018

Gorgeous Elk Creek camp area with excellent access to hiking and Tillamook

Off busy Highway 6 on the way to Tillamook and the Oregon coast, Elk Creek Campground is a sweet getaway from a lot of busier campgrounds and destinations in this region of Oregon (i.e., an hour from Portland). It's situated near the meandering and scenic Wilson River, which offers numerous floating, swimming and diving opportunities.

The campground itself is nestled in the forest with plenty of shade on warm days. It's pretty no-frills, which certainly isn't a bad thing when you're spending your time exploring the numerous trails, playing in the river, visiting the nearby Tillamook Forest Center or grabbing a pint and bite in fairly sleepy Tillamook.

Mountain biking—some really good stuff—is very close at hand, as well as hiking the Wilson River Trail or ascending Elk and Kings mountains (steep scrambles up and down in many places that I wouldn't recommend at all for small kids or those not looking to bust their lungs or stand on vertiginous precipices!). My Merry Wanderers crew actually busted out the Elk Mountain-Elk Creek loop straight out of the campground, covering ~9 miles with ~3,890 feet cumulative elevation gain in ~4 1/2 hours—it was exceptional and comes highly recommended. Next time we plan to add the connection to the Kings Mountain summit.

Overall, a great spot in the woods with plenty of playtime options right out your tent!

Month of VisitJune

(13) View All

Corinna B.

Legend

Reviewed May. 30, 2018

My New Favorite Campground in Oregon. Tent-Only on a Beautiful Creek.

This is my new absolutely favorite Oregon campground. Located within the Tillamook State Forest, Elk Creek campground has about a dozen or so sites located on a slight incline heading down to where the sweet, beautiful little Elk creek and the larger Wilson River converge. The sites are decent size though not huge, and are surrounded by beautiful trees, ferns and greenery. Some sites have more privacy, and since it is first come-first served, obviously best to get here early or before the weekend to snag a spot (which are only $10/night). We spent most of our time on the Elk Creek side since we have kiddos and the stream was the perfect size for playing and swimming without the stress of a larger river.

Pros: Beautiful. Fun creek for kids to play in. Great location only 28 miles from Tillamook. Love the sites and price ($10).

Cons: Walk-in only, which is great if you're in a tent, but out-of-luck if you're in a trailer or RV. Elk Creek is also day-use, so people heading to the creek or river will be walking by your site all day (though not too crowded when we were there).

Facilities: Two vault bathrooms (decently clean) but no showers. Fire pits. New picnic tables. Hand-pump water.

Month of VisitJune

(11) View All

Aria R.

Ranger

Reviewed Jul. 30, 2017

Gorgeous Creek Sites Helluva Hike

Elk Creek Campground is gorgeous, shady, Elk Creek itself winds around the campsites spooning it and provides ample swimming and fishing spots. There are compost toilets availabe and water on site, though the website says there isn’t, there is infact drinkable water on site and toilets.

No reservations online, first come first serve on the sites so sometimes the place is full when you arrive, but it’s always worth checking back

Sites have enough space between ‘em that you have a bit of privacy during the day and night. The sites are walk in, so you park in the general lot and huck your stuff in but never very far; no wheelbarrows or anything on site so only bring what you’re able to carry.

True pack in and pack out, be ready to haul your junk home – not everyone remembers this unfortunately.

If you are a glutton for punishment, set up camp and then hit up elk Mountain the hard way, 2,000 ft of elevation gain in less than 2 miles.

Month of VisitAugust

(25) View All

Bjorn S.

Legend

Reviewed Jul. 9, 2016

Little Hideway

Hwy. 6 is a twisting, overmodest bounty of recreational options leading to the Oregon coast, which is entirely public. Tucked into all the green good times is Elk Creek, a walk-in only 40% full on a Friday night 8 o'clocker. The diverse mix of tall trees team up for good shade and cool creeking. The hikes here are elaborate and the official ones well-marked, enhanced by frequent water and swimming holes. The earlier you get here, the better chance you have to snag one of the prime 4-5 spots right along the creek, but every site works. The traffic about a 1/2 mile off the highway can sometimes be heard, but aqua sounds hold sway and it's not a super busy highway anyway, especially at night. You won't even need to go into nearby Tillamook to eat famous cheese. Chew on some dried mango chunks - your well-stocked visual and atmospheric buffet is right here.

(11) View All

Jonathan V.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 28, 2016

Wiliwaw

This place was great. We were able to kayak and hike up to a glacier very very close to the campground. The spaces are ample enough to have more than one tent but we rented 2 spaces just to be safe. A moose and her calves even walked through the site.